The following code fragment shows how to extract tokens from a string containing a piece of ABC music:

abcScanner *scn;

scn = abcScannerNew(str,"X:1\nABC");
while ((tok = abcNextToken(scn)) != T_EOF) {
 ... your code here ...
}
scn = abcScannerFree(scn);

The token components can be retrieved the following functions:

abcTokenStart(scn,k)  returns a pointer to the beginning of the token text
abcTokenLen(scn,k)    returns the length of the token text
abcTokenEnd(scn,k)    returns a pointer to the end of the token text

A value of 0 for k always refer to the entire matched text. What is returned on other values of k depends on the token. For example for a T_NOTE token, 5 gives you the base pitch (A-G or a-g).

Details for each tokens,  including the helpers functions that can be called to get more information on the token, are given below:

T_ANNOTATION	T_BAR	T_INCLUDEPATH	T_BEGINTEXT
T_BREAKLINE	T_BROKENLEFT	T_BROKENRIGHT	T_CHORD
T_CHORDEND	T_MEASUREREPEAT	T_CONTINUE	T_DECORATION
T_EMPTYLINE	T_ENDHISTORY	T_ENDING	T_ENDLINE
T_ENDTEXT	T_EOF	T_EXTFIELD	T_FIELD
T_GCHORD	T_GRACE	T_GRACEEND	T_IGNORE
T_INFIELD	T_LYRICS	T_NONE	T_NOTE
T_OVLEND	T_OVLRESET	T_OVLSTART	T_PRAGMA
T_REST	T_SLUREND	T_SLURSTART	T_SPACER
T_SYLLABLE	T_SYMBOLS	T_TEXT	T_TIE
T_TUPLET	T_UNKNOWN	T_USERSYMBOL	T_VERSE
T_WHITESPACE

T_ANNOTATION (top)

Strings

1	The positioning character ('<', '>', '^', '_' or '@'). May be empty.
2	If the position character is '@', the x coordinate. May be empty.
3	If the position character is '@', the y coordinate. May be empty.
4	The annotation text

Functions

char *abcAnnotationTextStart(abcScanner *s) int abcAnnotationTextLen(abcScanner *s)
	Get the annotation text

float abcAnnotationPosX(abcScanner *s) float abcAnnotationPosY(abcScanner *s)
	Get the annotation position coordinates. If the position character is not '@', 0.0 is returned

char abcAnnotationPos(abcScanner *s)
	The positioning character. It may be '>', '<', '^', '_', '@' or '?' if there's none.

T_BAR (top)

Strings

1	The repetition characters (':') before the bar. May be empty.
2	The dot, if the bar is dotted. May be empty.
3	The sequence of '[', '|', and ']' that makes the bar. May be empty.
4	The repetition characters (':') after the bar. May be empty.

Functions

char *abcBarStart(abcScanner *s) int abcBarLen(abcScanner *s)
	Get the bar string.

int abcBarRepeatBefore(abcScanner *s) int abcBarRepeatAfter(abcScanner *s)
	The number of dots before and after the bar.

int abcBarRepeatBefore(abcScanner *s) int abcBarRepeatAfter(abcScanner *s)
	The number of dots before and after the bar.

int abcBarDotted(abcScanner *s)
	Returns a non zero value if the bar is dotted ('.|',' .[|', ':', ...)

int abcBarInvisible(abcScanner *s)
	Returns a non zero value if the bar one of the invisible bars ('[|]', '[]')

T_BEGINTEXT (top)

Strings

1	The text attributes (e.g. "justify")

Functions


T_BREAKLINE (top)

None

T_BROKENLEFT (top)

Functions

int abcBroken(abcScanner *s)
	Returns the number of '<' symbols

T_BROKENRIGHT (top)

Functions

int abcBroken(abcScanner *s)
	Returns the number of '>' symbols

T_CHORD (top)

Represent the start of a chord (e.g. '[CEG]'). Each note will be reported separately as T_NOTE tokens.


T_CHORDEND (top)

Represent the end of a chord. It may be followed by a duration like notes (e.g. '[CEG]3/2' ).

Strings

1	The numerator for chord duration
2	The list of '/' for duration
3	The denominator for chord duration

Functions

abcFraction abcChordDuration(abcScanner *scn)
	Returns a fraction representing the duration of the chord. Use the abcNumerator() and abcDenominator() functions to get the actual numbers.

T_CONTINUE (top)

None

T_DECORATION (top)

1	The decoration name. '*' is blank in a line of symbols.
2	The character ')' or '(' if present as in:  +trill(+  ... +trill)+

T_EMPTYLINE (top)

1	Spaces before the end of the line. May be empty.

T_ENDHISTORY (top)

1	The string "H:"

T_ENDING (top)

1	The numbers representing the times the ending should be played (e.g. 1-3) or a quoted string (e.g. "in ultimo"). In case of a string the quotes are included.

T_ENDLINE (top)

None


T_ENDTEXT (top)

This is compatible with T_TEXT

1	The character '%' if it's a line comment, or 'r' if it's an inline field remark
2	The text without trailing blank

T_EOF (top)

None


T_EXTFIELD (top)

1	The name of the field (e.g. MIDI or abc-version) or the name of the application if string 2 is defined (see section 11.5)
2	The name of the field if it's an application specific field
3	The field parameters

T_FIELD (top)

1	The field character (e.g. 'K')
2	The field parameters

T_GCHORD (top)

1	The chord string (excluding quotes).

T_GRACE (top)

1	The character '/' if it's an acciaccatura

T_GRACEEND (top)

None


T_IGNORE (top)

1	The string to be ignored. Always use this one rather that the string 0.

T_INCLUDE (top)

1	The name of the file to include (if not enclosed in quotes)
2	The name of the file to include (if enclosed in quotes)
3	Any other text on the field line
4	The end of the line

T_INCLUDEND (top)

None


T_INCLUDPATH (top)

1	The character '+' if the path is to be added to the current one
2	The path

T_INFIELD (top)

1	The field letter
2	The field parameters (with leading blanks and ending newline removed)

T_LYRICS (top)

None

T_MEASUREREPEAT (top)

None

T_NONE (top)

None


T_NOTE (top)

1	The accidentals ('^','_' and '='). Includes microtones
2	The base pitch (A-G or a-g)
3	The octave (list of ',' and ''' )
4	The numerator for note duration
5	The list of '/' for duration
6	The denominator for note duration

T_OVLEND (top)

1	The list of '&'

T_OVLRESET (top)

1	The list of '&'

T_OVLSTART (top)

1	The list of '&'

T_PRAGMA (top)

1	The pragma directive (e.g. ifdef)
2	The parameters (excluding leading blanks and ending newline)

T_REST (top)

1	The rest type ('z', 'Z' or 'x')
2	The numerator for rest duration
3	The list of '/' for duration
4	The denominator for rest duration

T_SLUREND (top)

None


T_SLURSTART (top)

1	The dot, if the slur is dotted. May be empty.
2	The slur direction (',' or '''). May be empty.

T_SPACER (top)

1	The space amount. May be empty.

T_SYLLABLE (top)

1	The syllable characters (it any)
2	A dash ('-')  if present
3	A sequence of holding symbols ('_')

T_SYMBOLS (top)

None


T_TEXT (top)

1	A strings that depends on the the type of the text and on the state it is found
2	The actual text line with no trailing blanks and ending newline
3	The new line. May be empty.

T_TIE (top)

1	The dot, if the tie is dotted. May be empty.
2	The tie direction (',' or '''). May be empty.

T_TUPLET (top)
A generic tuplet "(p:q:r"

1	p
2	q
3	r

T_UNKNOWN (top)

None


T_USERSYMBOL (top)

None


T_VERSE (top)

1	The verse number
2	The separator (':', '.' or ')')

T_WHITESPACE (top)

1	The sequence of blank characters